Slide assembly for extension table

ABSTRACT

A pair of slide assemblies for use with an extension table are provided. The slide assembly comprises an inner slide member secured to a left leaf and including a first roller sub-assembly provided at an inner end, an outer slide member secured to a right leaf and including a second roller sub-assembly provided at an inner end, and a main slide member secured to a body of the table and including a roller assembly provided at either end and a belt run through the roller assemblies and the first and the second sub-assemblies. Pulling the outer slide member rightward will move the inner slide member to the left as the belt conveys around the roller assembly. The invention has the benefits of reducing sound produced during operation and enhanced structural strength.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to slides and more particularly to a slideassembly mounted in an extension table with improved characteristicssuch as increased structural strength and greatly reduced soundgenerated during pulling or retracting operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional extension table for increasing useable table areacomprises left and right leaves and a slide assembly in the sides ofeither leaf. A user may pull either left or right leaf to pull both leftand right leaves outwardly. For the slide assembly, it can be classifiedas one including two slide members or one including three slide membersas described in detail below. Taiwanese Patent Publication No.85,218,199 disclosed a slide assembly including two slide membersmounted in either side of an extension table as shown in FIG. 1. Asshown, at either side of the extension table a main slide member 1comprises a central gear 2, left and right slide members 3 and 4, anupper elongated toothed member 5 coupled to an inner end of the leftslide member 3 and being in gear connection with the gear 2, a lowerelongated toothed member 6 coupled to an inner end of the right slidemember 4 and being in gear connection with the gear 2, and left andright leaves 7 and 8 fixedly coupled to the left and right slide members3 and 4 respectively. In operation, for example, a user may pull theright leaf 8 rightward from its retracted position. As such, the gear 2turns counterclockwise to push the lower elongated toothed member 6rightward and push the upper elongated toothed member 5 leftward. As aresult, both the left and right leaves 7 and 8 are extended. However,either left or right slide member 3 or 4 has a length about half of thelength of the main slide member 1. Hence, support on both the left andright slide members 3 and 4 provided by the main slide member 1 is smalldue to limited overlaid area between the main slide member 1 and theleft slide member 3 and between the main slide member 1 and the rightslide member 4. Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 87,213,720 disclosed aslide assembly including three slide members mounted in either side ofan extension table as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. At either side of theextension table there are provided a main slide member 9, an inner slidemember 10, and an outer slide member 11. An elongated toothed wheel 12is provided in a center of the main slide member 9. A plurality ofparallel slits 13 are provided on a right side of outer surface of theinner slide member 10 and a plurality of parallel slits 14 are providedon a left side of outer surface of the outer slide member 11 (see FIG.2). Both the slits 13 and 14 are in gear connection with the toothedwheel 12. Two fastening members 15 are provided each being adapted tosecure either end of the main slide member 9 to. the table 18. A raisedstop 16 is provided on a center of outer surface of the inner slidemember 10 and a raised stop 17 is provided on a center of outer surfaceof the outer slide member 11. A slidable left leaf 19 is provided on theinner slide members 10 and a slidable right leaf 20 is provided on theouter slide members 11.

In operation, for example, a user may pull the right leaf 20 rightwardfrom its retracted position. As such, the toothed wheel 12 rotates dueto the rightward movement of the slits 13 on the outer slide member 11.Also, the slits 14 and thus the inner slide member 10 move leftward.Both the movements of the inner and outer slide members 10 and 11 arestopped when the stops 16 and 17 contact the fastening members 15 at thesame time. Advantageously, either inner slide member 10 or outer slidemember 11 has a length about the same as that of the main slide member9. Hence, support on both the inner and outer slide members 10 and 11provided by the main slide member 9 is sufficient in an extendedposition of the table. However, the gear operation of both the slits 13and 14 in cooperation with the toothed wheel 12 may produce loud sound.Moreover, the gear connection of both the slits 13 and 14 with thetoothed wheel 12 requires a great precision, resulting in a greatincrease of the manufacturing cost. Thus, the need for improvement stillexists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pair of slideassemblies for use with an extension table having the benefit of greatlyreducing sound produced during extending or retracting operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pair of slideassemblies for use with an extension table having the benefit ofenhanced structural strength.

To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides apair of slide assemblies for use with an extension table having a leftleaf and a right leaf, the slide assembly comprising an inner slidemember secured to the left leaf and including a first rollersub-assembly provided at an inner end; an outer slide member secured tothe right leaf and including a second roller sub-assembly provided at aninner end; and a main slide member secured to a body of the table andincluding a roller assembly provided at either end and a belt runthrough the roller assemblies and the first and the secondsub-assemblies.

In one aspect of the present invention, the roller assembly comprises apulley wheel and two opposite stop members for securing the pulley wheelto the main slide member.

In another aspect of the present invention, each of the first and thesecond sub-assemblies comprises a bolt, a nut threadedly secured to thebolt, and a lateral through aperture with the belt passed.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a first conventional slide assemblyfor extension table in an extended position;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a second conventional slide assembly forextension table;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the assembled second conventionalslide assembly mounted in an extension table in an extended position;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of slide assemblyaccording to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the assembled slide assembly of FIG.4;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the assembled slide assembly of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 for illustrating a pulling operationof the slide assembly according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of an extension tableincorporating the slide assembly according to the invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of the partially assembled extensiontable shown in FIG. 8 in an extended position; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of an extension table incorporating anadditional intermediate leaf and the slide assembly according to theinvention in an extended position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 9, there is shown a slide assembly in accordancewith the invention for use with an extension table. At either front orrear side of the table, the slide assembly comprises a main slide member30, an inner slide member 40, and an outer slide member 50 in which themain slide member 30 is overlaid with either one of the inner slidemember 40 and outer slide member 50, each component is an independentelement formed by molding, and they will be described in detailed below.

As shown in FIG. 4, the main slide member 30 comprises, at either upperor lower portion, a longitudinal wider groove 31 and a longitudinalnarrower flange 32 adjacent thereto. The main slide member 30 furthercomprises an intermediate, elongated plate 33 integrally formed with theflanges 32. A roller assembly is provided at either end of the plate 33and comprises a pulley wheel 34 and two opposite stop members 35 forsecuring the pulley wheel 34 to the plate 33 from both sides of thepulley wheel 34. A belt 36 runs through the pulley wheels 34. Aplurality of metal plates 37 are formed on the main slide member 30 sothat a plurality of fasteners (e.g., screws) can be driven through theplates 37 into the table for fastening the main slide member 30 thereto.

The inner slide member 40 is constructed substantially similar to themain slide member 30 and is adapted to matingly engage therewith andslidable thereon. The inner slide member 40 comprises, at either upperor lower portion, a longitudinal groove 41 and a longitudinal flange 42adjacent thereto. The inner slide member 40 further comprises anintermediate, elongated plate 46 integrally formed with the flanges 42,a fastening member 43 provided at one end, the fastening member 43including a bolt 45 and a nut 44 having a threaded hole 442 adapted tothreadedly secure to the bolt 45, and a lateral through aperture 441with the belt 36 passed, and a plurality of plates 47 formed thereon sothat a plurality of fasteners (e.g., screws) can be driven through theplates 47 into one leaf (e.g., leaf 70) for fastening the inner slidemember 40 thereto.

The outer slide member 50 is constructed substantially similar to theinner slide member 40 and is adapted to matingly engage with the mainslide member 30 and slidable with respect to the main slide member 30.The outer slide member 50 comprises, at either upper or lower portion, alongitudinal groove 51 and a longitudinal flange 52 adjacent thereto.The inner slide member 40 further comprises an intermediate, elongatedplate 56 integrally formed with the flanges 52, a fastening member 53provided at one end, the fastening member 53 including a bolt 55 and anut 54 having a threaded hole 542 adapted to threadedly secure to thebolt 55, and a lateral through aperture 541 with the belt 36 passed, anda plurality of plates 57 formed thereon so that a plurality of fasteners(e.g., screws) can be driven through the plates 57 into the other leaf(e.g., leaf 80) for fastening the outer slide member 50 thereto.

Referring to FIG. 7 specifically, pulling the outer slide member 50rightward will cause the fastening member 53 to move toward the samedirection and cause the fastening member 43 to move toward the oppositedirection (i.e., the inner slide member 40 moves leftward) as the belt36 conveys around the pulley wheels 34. As such, both the outer slidemember 50 and the inner slide member 40 will extend outwardly to itslimit (i.e., the fastening member 53 contact the stop member 35 and thefastening member 43 contact the stop member 35 respectively) if thepulling continues. Finally, the table is fully extended.

The invention has the benefit of greatly reducing sound produced duringextending or retracting operation due to smooth rolling contact betweenthe belt 36 and the pulley wheels 34. Moreover, length of the main slidemember 30 is substantially equal to that of the inner slide member 40 orthe outer slide member 50. Thus, support on both the inner slide member40 and the outer slide member 50 provided by the main slide member 30 issufficient due to increased overlaid area between the main slide member30 and the inner slide member 40 and between the main slide member 30and the outer slide member 50. That is, the extension table of theinvention is structurally strong.

Referring to FIG. 10, an intermediate leaf 90 is provided between theleft leaf 70 and the right leaf 80 for increasing a surface area of thetable.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means ofspecific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could bemade thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from thescope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

1. A pair of slide assemblies for use with an extension table having aleft leaf and a right leaf, the slide assembly comprising: an innerslide member secured to the left leaf and including a first rollersub-assembly provided at an inner end; an outer slide member secured tothe right leaf and including a second roller sub-assembly provided at aninner end; and a main slide member secured to a body of the table andincluding a roller assembly provided at either end and a belt runthrough the roller assemblies and the first and the secondsub-assemblies.
 2. The slide assembly of claim 1, wherein the rollerassembly comprises a pulley wheel and two opposite stop members forsecuring the pulley wheel to the main slide member.
 3. The slideassembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first and the secondsub-assemblies comprises a bolt, a nut threadedly secured to the bolt,and a lateral through aperture with the belt passed.